Medgrid

File:TREC-Map-en.jpg linking renewable energy projects like DESERTEC & Medgrid across North Africa, the Middle East and Europe and could serve as the backbone for the hypothetical supersmart grid.]]

[[File:EU27-2008-Union for the Mediterranean.svg|thumb|245px|Union for the Mediterranean member countries potentially benefiting by the Mediterranean Solar Plan

  {{legend2|#003399|Members of the European Union}}

  {{legend2|#C89601|Other members}}

{{legend-line|#C89601 dotted 5px|Observer members}}

]]

As per the statement made by Dr Gerhard Knies, German physicist and founder of the Trans-Mediterranean Renewable Energy Cooperation (TREC) network of researchers - "The world’s deserts collect more energy from the sun in six hours than mankind consumes in an entire year". It illustrates the idea behind the ambitious project - Medgrid which will exploit solar energy from desert areas.{{cite web|url=http://www.electrical-efficiency.com/2011/03/the-apollo-desertec-and-medgrid-projects-in-the-mediterranean-region-aiming-to-harness-solar-energy-from-the-deserts/ |title= The Apollo, Desertec and Medgrid projects in the Mediterranean region: aiming to harness solar energy from the deserts |date = 4 March 2011 |accessdate=7 June 2012}}

File:Fullneed.jpg

The Sahara desert was chosen as an ideal location for solar farms as they enjoy strong direct sunlight for much of the year (3,000 to 4,000 hours of sunlight per year). In addition, the deserts are sparsely populated, making it possible to set up large solar farms. Lastly, sand deserts can provide silicon, a raw material that is essential in the production of solar panels.

File:DESERTEC-Map large.jpg]]

[[File:HVDC Europe.svg|thumb|right|250px|

{{legend|#F80E34|Existing links}}

{{legend|#10BF45|Under construction}}

{{legend|#0E25F8|Proposed}}

See also the List of HVDC project in Europe, which would eventually be part of European Supergrid]]

Complementing a similar Saharan desert based renewable energy project - DESERTEC, the industrial project Transgreen was launched in Paris in July 2010 as a French initiative within the framework of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM). A consortium of twenty-plus, mostly European, utilities, grid operators, equipment makers, financing institutions and investors envisioned the company named Medgrid in December 2010. The aim was to promote and develop a Euro-Mediterranean electricity network that would provide North Africa & Europe with inexpensive renewable electricity, mostly from solar. The goal is to install 20 GW of generating capacity, with 5 GW being devoted for exports to Europe. France and Morocco will launch the first experiment to transport solar power from the south to the north of the Mediterranean.

Since the Euro-Mediterranean projects, Medgrid and Desertec are both attempting to generate solar energy from deserts and complement each other, a MoU was signed on 24 Nov 2011 between Medgrid and Desertec Industry Initiative (Dii) to study, design and promote an interconnected electrical grid with the 400 billion euro ($536 billion) renewable energy "Desertec" project in North Africa. The plan is to build five interconnections at a cost of around 5 billion euros ($6.7 billion), including between Tunisia and Italy. The activities of Dii and Medgrid are covered by the Mediterranean Solar Plan (MSP), a political initiative within the framework of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM).

In March 2012 Dii, Medgrid, [http://www.friendsofthesupergrid.eu/ Friends of the supergrid] and [http://www.renewables-grid.eu/ Renewables Grid Initiative] signed a joint declaration to support the effective and complete integration, in a single electricity market, of renewable energy from both large-scale and decentralised sources, which shall not be played out against each other in Europe and in its neighbouring regions.{{cite web|url=http://www.medgrid-psm.com/en/2012/03/no-transition-without-transmission/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130103165228/http://www.medgrid-psm.com/en/2012/03/no-transition-without-transmission/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=3 January 2013 |title=No Transition without Transmission |publisher=Medgrid-psm.com |date=21 March 2012 |accessdate=7 June 2012 }}

The medgrid together with Desertec would serve as the backbone of the 'European Supergrid' and the benefits of investing in HVDC technology are being assessed to reach the final goal – the 'SuperSmart Grid (SSG)'.{{cite web|url=http://www.europolitics.info/sectoral-policies/more-interconnections-are-needed-within-and-beyond-the-eu-art315137-14.html |title=More interconnections are needed within and beyond the EU |publisher=europolitics.info |date=3 January 2012 |accessdate=24 June 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120316092500/http://www.europolitics.info/sectoral-policies/more-interconnections-are-needed-within-and-beyond-the-eu-art315137-14.html |archivedate=16 March 2012 }} by Tamás Kugyela

The consortium of twenty plus utilities, grid operators, equipment makers, financing institutions and investors include,{{cite web|url=http://www.ufmsecretariat.org/en/secretary-general-ahmad-masa%E2%80%99deh-speaks-at-medgrid-project-signature/ |title=Secretary General Ahmad Masa’deh expects the MEDGRID project to positively impact climate change |work=ufmsecretariat.org |date=9 December 2010 |accessdate=27 November 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120501222122/http://www.ufmsecretariat.org/en/secretary-general-ahmad-masa%E2%80%99deh-speaks-at-medgrid-project-signature/ |archivedate=1 May 2012 }}{{cite web|url=http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199-16342416/MEDGRID-ELECTRICITY-ACROSS-MEDITERRANEAN-MASTER.html |title= MEDGRID : ELECTRICITY ACROSS MEDITERRANEAN: MASTER PLAN BY 2014. |work=goliath.ecnext.com|date = 24 November 2010 |accessdate=27 November 2011}}

• Abengoa SA (Spain)
• Alstom SA (France)
• Areva SA (France)
• Atos Worldgrid (France)
• cdc infrastructure (France)
• EDF SA (France)
• GDF Suez SA (France)
• NEMO (Italy)
• Nexans (France)
• L'Office National de l'Électricité (ONE) (Morocco)
• Pan Med Trading and Investment (Jordan)
• Prysmian (Italy)
• Red Electrica Corp. SA (Spain)
• REN (Portugal)
• RTE (France)
• Siemens AG (Germany)
• Soitec (France)
• Taqa Arabia (Egypt)
• Terna SA (Italy)
• Tunur (United Kingdom)
• Walid Elias Establishment (Syria)

The consortium is led by André Merlin,[http://www.medgrid-psm.com/en/team-members/ Medgrid Team] CEO of Medgrid.

{{Portal|Energy}}

• Supersmart Grid
• Desertec
• European super grid

{{Reflist|26em}}

• [http://www.medgrid-psm.com Medgrid official website]

{{Renewable energy by country}}

{{Economy of Morocco}}

Category:Proposed solar power stations

Category:Renewable energy in the European Union

Category:Proposed electric power infrastructure in Africa

Category:Proposed electric power infrastructure in Europe